Spinners put Sri Lanka in driver's seat

The victory margin of 278 runs is Sri Lanka's fifth-largest in Tests and South Africa's fifth-heaviest defeat since re-admission. "Tomorrow, maybe in the morning session it might not spin as much and then break up and spin more and more". So that's where we've to improve, especially in these conditions where you've to make a play. Both of them are leading spinners in the world at the moment. The ratio of teams winning Test series away from home is diminishing all the time, with even the Proteas - once the "Road Warriors" after virtually enjoying a decade without an away series defeat - becoming susceptible to conditions overseas. South Africa have only recently become outspoken about creating made-to-order pitches at home, while New Zealand have also attempted to capitalise on their seam-bowling advantage by preparing very green tracks for Asian sides in recent years.

Admittedly there was some controversy to that series humiliation, as numerous pitches presented then were rank, lotto-like crumblers virtually from the outset and even some of India's famed stroke-players hardly filled their boots with runs.

South Africa went in with six batsmen to accommodate three quicks and the two spinners.

Exactly. Overthinking has hurt South Africa and not for the first time. That way South Africa's best batsmen will be able to see for themselves that conditions are not as bad as they might think.

"When I started playing Test cricket, 400s and 500s were happening quite regularly".

With their team combinations unsettled and too many uncertainties in their batting order, South Africa's first Test post de Villiers' retirement was a harsh reality check in many ways. What I'm trying to do is make them bowl in areas that are good scoring zones for me.

"When you are playing spin you need to have a defence, but more than that you have to dominate the spinners before they dominate you", man of the match Karunaratne said about his unbeaten 158 and 60 runs score.

This is undoubtedly a monumental challenge that awaits the Proteas in the island's capital, which has left Du Plessis, coach Ottis Gibson and selection convenor Linda Zondi to mull over both team composition and strategy for the next couple of days. The shape that he has is a lot different than the pace you can practice against. "We played a warm-up game which was a flat wicket - it didn't spin", du Plessis said. Philander was fortunate when Sri Lanka missed a chance to review a Herath delivery that would have gone on to hit middle stump - the last of three opportunities they did not take - and reviewed successfully when he was given out two overs later.

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